Family!

Well yesterday was a long tiring day,but I think we got a lot done ! I am really looking forward to our Easter cook out! Ric worked on the yard and Catie the house, I went shopping for the groceries and stuff needed , I also picked up some tomato plants for the greenhouse,and blackberry,blueberry,and grapevines for the yard.,then we had a fire in the pit, cooked poor mans supper in the fire,and planned our busy Saturday. Right before he left for work Ric had to kill  another opossum  trying to get in the coop ! Those guys are beginning to be a hassle.
.As we work to get the house clean,yard picked up and food cook I realize how thankful I am for our close family and the ability to get together to celebrate Easter! Sometimes I get so caught up in the preparing I forget  the reason we get together , or the joy of enjoying my family,but when I sit down and catch my breath I thank God for them all.. What is family? I don't just mean those with the same bloodline! I have  family members  I have met throughout my life,those I choose to claim as mine. I believe God puts people in our lives for a reason,to learn something from,to teach something to, to be there as a close friend. Whatever the reason I am blessed with those who have come into my life. When we lived in Sc we met the Penrod kids who quickly became like mine. When we lost one to cancer , I was devastated but I know  God had us meet for a reason and I know she made a difference in who I became. Then in Raleigh it was the Halls, I still keep in touch with Beth,  even though she lives in NY we still talk . Then we cannot forget my "other son" Jonathan, he is so much like a sibling to the others they readily claim him as a brother, and he is always there to help. Though I do notice he has somewhat of a temper like his brother Ric..lol.. I thank God for all my family , blood relation or not,today as you approach Easter , make sure you let those people in your life know how important they are to you , and how they have made a difference! Happy Easter!

Prep Work!

 Well, its been a long day,but we got a  lot done! After work, I came home and Ric and I worked on the yard to get ready for the Easter Cookout. We picked up the yard a bit, and  fed the chickens and gathered the eggs,watered the plants in the greenhouse and cold frame. We  decided where to put the fruit trees we ordered ,when they came in.. our own little fruit orchard! Yay! Then we lit a fire in the fire pit ,made chicken foil pockets with veggies and seasonings threw them in the fire to cook and chilled a bit. It was a delicious supper after the yard work.. and really made me miss my camping trips! I am ready for some Morrow mountain tent camping! There is nothing like sitting by a fire in the woods  listening to the sounds of the night,seeing deer approach so close to your tent and just letting the rush of everyday,pass you by!But until I can get there My fire pit will definitely do! Now tomorrow will be another busy day,work,shopping for the cookout,house cleaning,yard cleaning,and maybe helping my nephew and his family move to their new house! Everyone have a great night,help someone when you can,and take a moment for yourself!

A nice evening..

 I had a really nice evening yesterday,after work I went to watch 2 adorable little boys while Catie tutored their mom, then I met with Ryan,my youngest son and sat and talked til almost midnight! I don't see him enough since he moved out,but I really enjoyed catching up.I am so proud of the adults all my children have grown up to be.More than anything I want them to be compassionate people who think of others and help when they can. I have been blessed because all 5 of them are. Too often I think we put a measure of how successful a person is by their wallets, and though they are all  doing OK financially, that is not what I think we need to measure success by. Money will not make you happy,its more important to treat others well and try to make a difference in this world. I love to hear them tell me  of people they are concerned about,or want to help out. We definitely have our differences on things,from the choices we make, to political views,to our leisure activities,but its nice to know we always have each other and we share a common viewpoint on making a difference in someones life.I think our society today is way to focused on "me" and self gratification!.Just wanted to let you guys know..love you and I am very proud of you all!

Not an elephant!

Well as I head back to work this morning , I look back over my week-end ,and wish it had been a little longer.As Easter approaches I reflect on what the true meaning is of this special holiday! I listened to something yesterday that really struck a chord with me, the lead singer of Tenth Avenue North does a video journal, I absolutely love! The one that really stuck with me is "God is not an elephant!". He talks about how elephants never forget and how God will forget our sins when we confess them to him. Then he goes on to say even though God forgets, we are still a lot like the elephant, we have a hard time forgetting! When someone wrongs us, how many times do we say "oh I will NEVER forget what you did to me!" Today I am going to try to NOT be like the elephant, if Jesus died for us on the cross so our sins could be forgiven,then I should try to be more forgiving myself.. If you get a chance go to Tenth Avenue North website. and take a look at his video journals,they really make you think,check out the one titled "Worn", it talks of how he started in music,and its truly amazing! Have a great day,and remember no elephants!

.tenthavenuenorth.com

Spring Plans

Well this time of year gets busy, trying to prepare for spring! We have moved our newest chicks outside , now they have their feathers its time to get them integrated with the big guys! Ric built a small pen next to the chicken coop so they can size each other up, then in a week or so we will add them together. Last night they had an unwanted visitor. A opossum was trying to get into the coop of the younger chicks, the dogs went after it and it fell down and played dead! Ric went and got his gun and before long , he wasn't playing..lol! I am thankful the coop held up and that the dogs alerted us to the problem!
 Ric also ordered his honey bees, he picks them up April 26, so hopefully we will have honey in a year or so, and a very fruitful garden! The pollination from the bees should help us produce more produce..lol. All kidding aside though, I am a little nervous. I know that honey bees are not aggressive, but having that many that near IS a little nerve racking. I have learned a lot about them though and it really is interesting. Ric is excited and really looking forward to this new adventure.
 We have also ordered more fruit trees and  plants, and the lettuce is coming up in the cold frame. We have tomatoes planted in the greenhouse, and strawberry plants ordered which should be here any day. Now  to just get a tiller or have someone plow up the rest of the garden so we can work on it! We have plans to can a lot  this year. Last year we put up veggie soup, applesauce, apple butter, apple pie filling, tomatoes, sweet pickles and even spaghetti sauce! This year I want to do more veggies! I really enjoy growing our own food and preserving it..
 The next on my list is milk goats! I am looking at Nigerian Dwarf or Nubian goats. We decided to have Ric get set up with his bees this spring, then work on getting fencing and preparing an area for the goats through the year, and next year in spring...get my goats! I want to try my hand at making cheese, butter and even some soaps! I think some of friends and family think I have gone off the deep end! Oh well til next time!

Holidays!

   I am  blessed to have a very close family. Every holiday we all get together, share a meal and conversation. The menu seldom varies, same stuff, turkey, roast, sometimes ham, mashed potatoes, baked macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, potato salad, green bean casserole, squash casserole, congealed salad just to get started, along with a variety of desserts. Everyone comes to my house, and even though sometimes its frustrating and a bit stressful, I have to admit I wouldn't have it any other way! That's not even talking about Richards family, even though we aren't together anymore, we still have get together's and I love and claim them all as my own! As hard as it is now a days to get everyone together, I think its awesome that we all still do, and that we all enjoy doing it! There is not enough of families doing this anymore!

 So Easter my family is having a cookout at my house, I am praying the weather will be nice, so we can setup  the screen-house outside maybe some badminton. And as the evening sets in, a nice fire in the fire-pit with s'mores, marshmallows, and good conversation! We will have the usual, the last minute stress of preparations the grocery shopping, the cooking, baking, cleaning and the forgotten items we have to go back to the store for. Then the day arrives with the usual variety of folks, the gossiping, the whispering, the reminiscing all, the laughing and the giggles! A solemn prayer before the meal, a reminder of the REAL reason we celebrate, and in a few short hours its over. Nothing left but a pile of dirty dishes, a bag of trash, a disheveled house and some very tired family members! Is it all worth it,? the time, energy and cost? You bet it is!!! Family is so important, enjoy them while you can, even while you have your differences, no one is promised a day, enjoy your Easter, and don't forget the real reason we celebrate..He is risen!

A Day of Rest

I hate being sick! Its like your on pause & everything in the world is still on play mode! I get so frustrated. I am at home missing a day of work. I look around seeing a million things that need to be done. But when I try I don't have the energy or I just feel sicker trying. I think we as a society are so caught up in fast mode we forget the importance of pause. Even God rested, it seems even on our days off we spend them going. Errands, house work, extreme sports. What happened to sitting outside in porch swing or rocker with a cold glass of iced tea. Visiting with neighbors, watching the birds or reading good a book? I think that must be why camping and our fire pit nights relax and renew me so well. We all need to go in pause mode every now and then. And don't let it be only when your sick. Next time you have some free time try the Pause mode and see how it feels. It is good to be back have a great day!!

Reflections

When I was younger, before marrying and kids, I had a very outgoing personality. I was very friendly and loud. Some of the people closest to me didn't understand my personality. I was told I was too loud, I flirted too much and I didn't have to talk to everyone I saw. As a result, and I guess my own insecurities, I majorly toned it down. I would smile, but was quiet until I got to know you and I wouldn't start up a conversation with everyone I met.
Now, I realize my outgoingness is a trait God gave me. Its not flirting or being overbearing, It's being friendly, its meeting new people, its me. I used to really be quiet, afraid of what people would think of me, or if they would judge me. So I wouldn't start that conversation or give my input on a discussion. But as I get older, I realize I am going to be the person God meant me to be! So strangers beware! LOL- Have a great day everyone!

Trying new things

 Morning are wonderful, I am definitely a morning person! To get up in the quiet of the morning , listening to the sound of the birds and the roosters..it relaxes me and puts a smile on my face. Spring is close , and It is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the flowers blooming ,planting the garden,the weather warming enough to sit outside in the evenings ,going camping and enjoying campfires,and hikes and cooking over the campfire!Having cookouts with family and friends ,going to the farmers market ,and before long canning veggies and preserving that yummy goodness for winter.
 Sunday, Catie helped a young mother study and I watched her 2 adorable little boys..I have to say I have so much admiration and respect for this mom. She has 2 jobs and goes to school  and has gone through such rough circumstances that i cannot begin to imagine! She works so hard , and is so determined to make her and her boys life better. I was so tired after chasing the 2 and 3 years old around.. I do not see how she does it all. Trust me when I say , when you meet someone like this young woman , it really makes you appreciate things. Try to give someone who is overwhelmed a hand,you will get more out of it than they will!


1st Fire of the Season

1st Fire of the Season

 Yesterday was  our no electronics day, well sort of. When I first got up I forgot and checked emails and face book , and Catie forgot and turned on the TV but we remembered and that was it for the day.  The beginning made me realize how much we depend on them, lol we just sorta set there looking at each other, like well now what? But, then we went outside, we had our first fire in the fire pit , and set around and talked. Catie had made some delicious homemade lasagna and we even ate it at the table by the fire.. It was nice and relaxing and I LOVED it...We plan on doing the no electronics day once a week..you guys should give it a try.! No TV, no game systems, no computers or kindles.. We all just chilled and it was really nice.
Well as I head off to work let me leave you with this, today look for someone to help out, I promise you will get as much or more out of it than they do! More tonight!

A.m. pondering..

    I have always believed in a strong faith,even when life was rough I never questioned how far your faith can get you through. There were times in my life,way to numerous to mention, where God always saw me through. I can remember,a broken down vehicle with  no money to fix it , or being  low on groceries and no money to buy them , or an electric bill that was on its last days before being  cut off,or feeling really hopeless and God sending the answer. from a surprise visit from someone with groceries,or unexpected money to fix the car , or things working out to pay the bill,or someone coming by or calling with just the right words.. He ALWAYS knows what you need,sometimes even when you don't ..just give Him a chance to show you..have a little faith! And on the other hand, you never know when God is using you to reach someone. Sometimes you are the only God's love people will see ,don't hesitate to help someone,sometimes something small to you is HUGE to them.I think it is  better to show people what God's love is like  instead of just telling them!
 God has blessed me with an awesome family. My kids are truly wonderful,sweet compassionate people who are not afraid to speak whats on there minds. I LOVE that! There are all  independent  and different but always there for each other and others.We all have varied viewpoints on things from politics,to religion,to everyday life but we respect our differences.  I thank God everyday for my stepdaughter Shannon, she is a sweet wonderful woman who is a great mom. God really blessed me when he put her in my life,I truly treasure our relationship even though we are far apart (shes in Portugal). Hollie  is next , she is my fireball, very compassionate ,strong willed and loving.This one has never met a stranger and has the God given ability to make everyone around her feel special, happily married to a man I think balances her perfect! I am very glad she has found him, they are just what each other needs  . Then there is Catie, my quiet,sweet tempered daughter, she is an awesome cook and baker and never hesitates to help someone.  She never gets riled up , and is great in any crisis. Then there is Ric  he can do almost anything..he will help anyone anytime anywhere..he has a huge heart, and maybe a little bit of a temper..lol! Then last but not least is Ryan  he is such a treasure.. he is very smart , and great with people and quite the sense of humor. he is dedicated and driven  and I know will go far in life. I have never had a problem with my kids and drugs , or  any major behavior problems. i thank God for that.  I know I made mistakes with them  but when you let them know how much they are loved , I think that sorta trumps the mistakes..anyway  it works out..

Well enough on my ponderings , just thought I would fill you in a little on my family. Have a great day..more later

The Simple Things

 I sit here, drinking my morning cup of coffee, well ONE of my morning cups of coffee as I listen to the birds chirping at the feeders, and the rooster crowing in the backyard. I realize how blessed and thankful I am to live here in the country, at night you can hear the yips of the coyotes or the hoot of an owl, its so peaceful. I think the simpler things are, the more you appreciate things. I mean more noise, more traffic, more complicated things are, the more we lose sight of how nice the simple things are. I just wish I had realized this sooner!
 Today I want to work on the compost pile, and haul off some old trash and junk  as well as some mundane housework! I will talk to you soon.
Today I realized I haven't given the dogs enough credit. We kennel up a couple dogs sometimes when we leave. Snowball (aka Houdini) can escape from every kennel but one. So when we tell her to kennel up,  she will fly past the other dogs and get in one of their kennels, hoping we will let it slide. She knows she will be out before we leave the driveway! Only after much coaxing do we get her to go in her own cage! You can't help but smile, its like having small children again.
 We did get the compost pile turned  today, we have some dark rich soil ready for the garden. Ric got his bee hive set up all ready to paint. We made some homemade cookies and started our new devotions, on prayer. We really enjoyed the financial one we wrapped up yesterday.
  Sometimes we all take for granted simple things, a roof over our head, food to eat, a soft bed to sleep in, clean clothes. I am involved with, Scarf It Up, a great group of folks who help the homeless in our area. Once a month we prepare and feed them a hot meal through the Salvation Army. We are collecting new underwear  for them also. It is not something you really think about, but hard to imagine not having them. As you go to sleep tonight remember to thank God for the little thing , and pray for those who don't have them. Until tomorrow..

Productive Day

Our Greenhouse

 Today has been a really great day.The weather was great and we worked outside. We transplanted our plants and planted, lettuce, cabbage, peas, onions, broccoli, carrots, spinach and a lot of fresh herbs, basil, cilantro, parsley, oregano, dill and a few more..We planted lettuce in the cold frame..built a second cold frame and plan on putting strawberries in it Friday

Our first cold frame..lettuce is in here

. We gathered the eggs and cleaned the pen a bit.. Ric made our chicken coop out of old pallets ..it did not cost anything but the nails to put it together, we used an old dog fence for the yard and it works great! We have 6 more chicks to add before long.. we will have  to integrate them so they all get along..but when they start laying we will have PLENTY of eggs to share!

Nesting box made of an old bookshelf

Chicken coop

  We also finished up a Bible devotion on debt we were doing, it was very informative and helpful..I guess we will pick a new topic for tomorrows devotion..We are reading the Bible all the way through as a family as well and it has really been a good thing for us all! We are accountable to each other.. so we don"t put it off..its great!  I think we all have deepened our faith through this..
  We have decided to try a little experiment.. one day a week..it will be Wednesday"s, we are giving up all electronics..no television,no facebook, nothing..I think we all have gotten way to depended on them, we even read on our Kindles electronic books! So Wednesdays I will post the days blog on Thursday mornings! i will be sure to let you know how it goes.It will be very interesting ..I am not sure Catie and Ric are as excited about it as I am though!
 Well its been a long day.. and tomorrow is another one..I will leave you with this thought..you can wait for something to happen to make your life better,or you can make it better yourself!!

The Prince with Snow White and Cinderella

Contentment

  Good morning! What a great day! Its so nice to wake up with birds chirping outside your window! Yesterday was so busy I didn't get a chance to write, but we got a lot accomplished! We filled in the cold frame and went and got a small greenhouse and we set it up I cannot wait to start planting! We laid out where everything will go in the yard, bees, goats, garden etc. Tonight we are going to light the fire pit and roast some marshmallows  We built it out of rocks and its my favorite way to unwind in spring and fall!. I really cannot wait when we have friends and family come over and hang out and chat by the fire, nothings better!

Our fire pit

  I think writing is therapeutic, I am not that great at it, lol, my daughter, +Catie, edits it for me, but I feel so good about putting it all down. You know the Bible says we should be content with what we have, not to be envious of what others have, we should be happy for them. For a long time, I would always want more, thinking I needed more and would wonder why someone else has something I needed. The Bible also tells us however, God won't give us more to manage, if we can't manage what we have. Well, I definitely fall in THAT category! However, I am working on it , paying off all i can and you know, I have never been more content with what I have in my life. I love where I live, and yes I really need a lot of work done to this old trailer, including a roof, and other stuff; but I do have a place to live, doing work with the homeless  through an awesome group called  " Scarf it Up" has helped me so much to be thankful with what God has given me! I cannot imagine having nowhere to go on these cold nights, in snow and rain. God bless those people!  I love the peacefulness here and really do thank God for being here. I don't think I could move if I did have the chance, even in a better house...lol..
   Well off to start the day, I will try to post tonight on our day. God Bless!

Preparing for Spring

What a beautiful day! I am so ready for spring, planting and fires in the fire pit  I am definitely not a cold weather person.  +Richard Glenn Marsh  and I finished up  a cold frame today. I will plant lettuce in it tomorrow, nothing like a fresh garden salad out of your own garden! We have plans to paint the new bee hive and set it up in the back so it will be ready for the bees in a couple weeks. I have to admit I am a little apprehensive, but also excited at the prospect of the bees. The productivity of the garden and my fruit trees should be a lot better and next year we hopefully will have fresh honey and maybe candles (if all goes well).

 I think sometimes, how far do I want to take this homesteading thing? On what level do I want to continue this? My goal is to be completely debt free by the end of the year, except for my jeep payment, and to have it done by the end of next year! Then the milk goats by next spring. So with the garden, fruit trees and bushes, chickens, bees, goats, heating by wood and we are well on our way. I have a friend who installed a solar panel on his camper. I am wondering if sometime in the foreseeable future it would be an option for us at home. Totally off the grid and owing no one is something that really excites me and the fact it seems totally doable is really awesome!  The Bible tells us not to borrow. I think we all depend on the credit cards too often. It seems like it is nothing, we don't even think about it anymore; but as long as we owe someone, we are at their whims. If they call in the debt early, or if money gets tight it could be a problem; but if we save what we normally pay to our cards and don't owe anyone, think what you could save and buy with your own cash!

Turbo

   On another note, baking and cooking seems to be a lost art. Cooking from scratch is so much tastier and cheaper in the long run. As I said  in an earlier blog we have not bought bread in almost a year. We don't use a bread maker, we do it the old fashion way and its so much better!!My daughter +Catherine Elizabeth Marsh is an awesome cook and baker! She does must of our baking including the bread . One recipe we use makes 3 loaves. We usually bake one, freeze one before final rising and make cinnamon rolls or pizza dough out of the third. If anyone wants the recipe, just leave me a note and I will post it! Another easy way to eat better and cheaper is to prepare meals and freeze them in baggies to dump in the crock pot in the morning, very quick, easy, cheap and delicious! Well, I think I have rambled on enough. Time to feed the dogs. We have 3 German Shepard's. A white one named Snowball, a black one named Turbo and the leader of the pack, a tan and black one named Radar!  Enjoy your weekend and talk to you soon!!!

Radar and Snowball

                         

What now?

So, now I know where I was, where do I want to go?  What do I want to work on? Well, of course my finances, as I mentioned earlier, REALLY need working on, but, I am paying off credit cards and charge accounts. I am tithing right off the top and hope to start saving soon too! Its funny though, when I give God his part, right off the top, it seems my money goes further; and I really like deciding how I can help someone; whether its sponsoring  a child and helping their family, donating to the homeless with time and money, or the food bank! I get so much off of it too, when i start looking at my problems and feeling sorry for myself, I think of all those people with no home out in the cold, those hungry folks wondering how to come up with food for their kids, or the orphans with no parents living in such horrible hopelessness. Then I realize how lucky and blessed I am. The Bible tells us to help those less fortunate, if only everyone could help out someone who is not doing as well as themselves, how much better we would all be!

   So the plan I have come up with to help myself and others is to work on developing more of a homestead, back to the basics, so to speak. I have gotten chickens and we get our own eggs. We get about  43 eggs a week now, and have 6 baby chicks that will be laying before you know it. This allows me to not buy eggs and give some to others as well. The next step? Bees! My son, Ric, will be starting a hive next month. If things go well, hopefully we will have honey, beeswax candles and such before you know it! Then I want to get Nigerian Dwarf milking goats! We will be able to get our own milk, cheese, butter etc.and hopefully, after a while, have enough to give others as well.

  Last year we started making our own bread.. We haven't bought a loaf of bread in almost a year and we started canning soup,tomatoes and other garden goodies we grow. It is such a great feeling of accomplishment to grow your own food, not to mention how it cuts your grocery bill! I believe in giving a part of this to help others too. It's a way to help ourselves and others, and it is a good feeling not to be so dependent on society to buy goods and such. Our world has gotten so self-indulging. I think we forget how God meant for us to be, to help each other, to be compassionate and to be able to able to take care of ourselves through our hard work!
 So as I embark on this journey, a step to the past as a step to my own growth, I hope you will come along with me as I walk closer to God  and try to live the life I was meant to live.

A Fresh Start

When I reflect back, I realize I had no identity, myself, outside of the reflection of what my husband and children defined who I was. I totally lost who I was...maybe it was marrying someone older.going straight from my parents to marriage,never out on my own,.or maybe it was my own insecurities from a very low self esteem..but whatever it was, I was a chameleon.  I agreed with who I was with, I never had my own opinion, I never could make a decision on my own. I was so insecure, and now realize, battled with self worth and depression.

It took a marriage going steadily downhill, until it finally fell apart.. Looking back I now realize we were living two different lives for a long time. I was forced to be dependent on myself, not someone else,when the marriage ended. Now, thank God we have a good friendship.

I think God has a plan for us all, and even through difficult trials, he has a light at the end of the tunnel. It took years, but I am now stronger in my faith and in myself than I ever was. Now I  still have a LONG way to go; I still have financial issues I have to solve from years of wrong decisions; I still struggle with my self esteem; and  I really want to be more self sufficient in my life. This blog is my journey....Will you join me?????